One embodiment of the invention relates to a test apparatus for testing a semiconductor device having contact pads on its top and its bottom. The invention also relates to a method for testing the semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the test apparatus has a test printed circuit board having contact pads and with a test socket mounted on it. The test socket has a locating seat for locating the top of the semiconductor device. Within the region of the locating seat, the test socket contains internal through-contact elements to the test printed circuit board. These internal through-contact elements electrically connect the contact pads of the top of the semiconductor device to the contact pads of the test printed circuit board. In addition, the test apparatus has a stamp for pressing the semiconductor device onto the internal through-contact elements of the test socket.
A test apparatus of this kind for semiconductor devices with integrated circuits is known from the document DE 102 29 541 A1. The known test apparatus has a test socket from which contact elements project which are fitted with spring contacts which can have electrical contact made with them by external contacts of an integrated circuit. The known test apparatus has the drawback that the semiconductor devices to be tested can be tested using integrated circuits only if the semiconductor device's contacts with which contact is to be made are arranged on one side on a bottom of the semiconductor device. The known test apparatus cannot be used to make contact with contact pads on both sides of the semiconductor device, namely on its top and its back. Another drawback of the known test apparatus is its complex design. The complex design simultaneously has a long associated conversion time, which hinders rapid conversion of the test apparatus for different semiconductor devices. In addition, the contact elements with spring contacts are of complex design for this known test apparatus and their manufacture is accordingly costly.